I would say, tech wise, the F-35 will be, once it is fully fixed. In terms of all around dogfighting, I would go to F-22. In terms of compromise between the two, I'd go PakFA.

However, hands down, longevity, versatility of roles, and pure maneuvering ability, I would still say the A-10. They keep re-extending it's service dates, and are slated to potentially keep her in service until 2035-2042, unless a better platform can be found.

But, I say to you...

What other aircraft can perform all of the functions with pure confidence?

1) Forward air controller

2) Close Air Support

3) Danger Close strikes on enemy footholds.

4) Ground Attack

5) Still be able to defend itself against attacking fighters, then egress to the protection of friendly fighter/anti-aircraft batteries

7. Double redundant hydraulics, and triple redunancy with manual reversion to full mechanical.

8) Durability of aircraft, with ability to sustain heavy damage and still land.

It is literally design so that it can lose over two thirds ofit's wing control surfaces, and still land.

from wiki:

Proof of the durability of the A-10 was shown when Captain Kim Campbell, flying a ground support mission over Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq on 7 April, suffered extensive flak damage to her A-10. Iraqi fire damaged one of the A-10's engines and crippled its hydraulic system, which required the aircraft's stabilizer and flight controls to be operated via the back-up mechanical system, this being known as 'manual reversion mode'. Despite this damage, Campbell managed to fly the aircraft for nearly an hour and landed safely.

Tech you say? Well the F-35 wins with that, but it still stinks. That's implying produced planes.

Air combat? Right now the F-22 is hard to match except with the very rare Su-35. But if the PAK FA gets produced, it may be able to beat it in short range fights and rapid kill tactics.

Multirole may also go to a PAK FA variant with 2 GSh-30-1 cannons since the F-22 is a fully-bred air superiority ninja, but I guess the F-15E or the Rafales can take the spot.

Bomber? B-2, although Russia still has to release their PAK DA, let alone make a prototype.

Sky whales? The A-10 is already a very good one, but people forget about the good old Frogfoot, with its incredibly large portable artillery shells rockets. The A-10 is better at tank hunting and in terms of general resilience to fire, but the Frogfoot is better at bunker busting imo due to how fast the rockets are compared to the A-10's Paveway bombs, while the former still have roughly the same explosive weight as some of the Paveways. I also somewhat like the extra speed of the Su-25.

Tech you say? Well the F-35 wins with that, but it still stinks. That's implying produced planes.

Air combat? Right now the F-22 is hard to match except with the very rare Su-35. But if the PAK FA gets produced, it may be able to beat it in short range fights and rapid kill tactics.

Multirole may also go to a PAK FA variant with 2 GSh-30-1 cannons since the F-22 is a fully-bred air superiority ninja, but I guess the F-15E or the Rafales can take the spot.

Bomber? B-2, although Russia still has to release their PAK DA, let alone make a prototype.

Sky whales? The A-10 is already a very good one, but people forget about the good old Frogfoot, with its incredibly large portable artillery shells rockets. The A-10 is better at tank hunting and in terms of general resilience to fire, but the Frogfoot is better at bunker busting imo due to how fast the rockets are compared to the A-10's Paveway bombs, while the former still have roughly the same explosive weight as some of the Paveways. I also somewhat like the extra speed of the Su-25.

The cannon makes the A10 better than SU-25..

Btw i think i forgot if Frogfoots can attach some extra cannons too lol

Btw i think i forgot if Frogfoots can attach some extra cannons too lol

The Su-25 is a large caliber rocket platform. But yes, the A-10 has that huge cannon advantage along with a few other weapons such as Paveways and bomblet dispensers similar to the IL-2's PTABs. The Su-25 just has it better with bunkers and speed, while the A-10 is superior in general CAS and tank busting.

F-35 isn't in service. And it is in fact a pile of garbage that is constantly being redesigned, reworked, redveloped and set back to milk more money out of the military procurement budget. The project needs to be scrapped, the leads fired and the funds seized for breach of contract. It's an 857 billion-dollars-a-year white elephant. Just like the F-22 it's a Cold War project that's been kept in development because all the refusing-to-die-already cold warrior jackoffs in the Pentagon refuse to beleive it's not the 1980's anymore.

As for what the US's most advancet fighter in service, thats a no-brainer. The F-15E. And if the powers that be had the intelligence to pour piss out of a boot, it'd be the F-15SE.

***I didn't say the F-22, because one really can't consider it "in service" unless one is talking about the constant maintenance cycle from the supremely stressful action of being grounded in a climate controlled hangar year round. The thing can't even be left out in a strong rain shower without needing a couple weeks and a few million to reapply it's RAM coating. I'd hate to see what happens to it if it ever gets used, you know, in a combat situation.

F-35 isn't in service. And it is in fact a pile of garbage that is constantly being redesigned, reworked, redveloped and set back to milk more money out of the military procurement budget. The project needs to be scrapped, the leads fired and the funds seized for breach of contract. It's an 857 billion-dollars-a-year white elephant. Just like the F-22 it's a Cold War project that's been kept in development because all the refusing-to-die-already cold warrior jackoffs in the Pentagon refuse to beleive it's not the 1980's anymore.

As for what the US's most advancet fighter in service, thats a no-brainer. The F-15E. And if the powers that be had the intelligence to pour piss out of a boot, it'd be the F-15SE.

***I didn't say the F-22, because one really can't consider it "in service" unless one is talking about the constant maintenance cycle from the supremely stressful action of being grounded in a climate controlled hangar year round. The thing can't even be left out in a strong rain shower without needing a couple weeks and a few million to reapply it's RAM coating. I'd hate to see what happens to it if it ever gets used, you know, in a combat situation.

Not a fan of the 22, but it seems to be a fairly good plane.

Though I must admit, the report that an entire flight got turned into stealthy piper cubs that had to be led back home by their tankers when crossing the international date line caused their uber high tech electronics to go crash was quite amusing.

Also the one which the pilot had to be cut out of the cockpit after the canopy refused to open.

The F-35, is a prime example of what happens when the company spreads out the project into almost every congressional district.

It could be the worst aircraft ever built since the spruce goose and the US will still buy it and praise it as the best thing since the invention of the wheel. it's that well protected.

It's also the poster child for the self perpetuating cost inflation that come with the swiss army knife of airplanes concept.

Frankly there is very little that is in the F-35 that can't be installed into a more conventional (read cheaper) aircraft.

DICTA BOELCKE for WoWP
1. Try to secure the upper hand before attacking.
2. Always continue with an attack you have begun
3. Open fire only at close range, and then only when the opponent is squarely in your sights
4. You should always try to keep your eye on your opponent, and never let yourself be deceived by ruses
5. In any type of attack, it is essential to assail your opponent from behind
6. If your opponent dives on you, do not try run away from his attack, but fly to meet it
7. When over the enemy's lines, always remember your own line of retreat
8. It is better to attack in groups of four or six. Avoid two aircraft attacking the same opponent